The Essential Z-Wave Door and Window Sensors Your Home Needs

When you begin your home automation adventure, it's easy to get sucked in by all the different devices available. After all, you probably want to start planning your perfectly synchronized, comfortable, and safe home.

With all of the products available, some of the most overlooked are Z-Wave door and window sensors. These devices are a central part of every smart home and they definitely shouldn’t be ignored, as their place in a home automation setup is crucial.

Let’s look at some of the details about these entry sensors, before we go through the best sensors on the market today!

Don't want to read reviews? Here are the top best selling Z-Wave Door and Window Sensors on Amazon at the moment!

If you want to read more in depth about these door sensors, continue on!​

What Are Z-Wave Door and Window Sensors?

These devices have two pieces: a sensor and a magnet.

When the magnet is up against the sensor, the device recognizes that the door or window is closed. When you open the door or window, the two pieces pull apart, and the device will send an alert to your Z-Wave hub, indicating the door is opened.

The sensor can be used to trigger a lighting scene, a change to your HVAC system, a security alarm, or any other action you program into your system.

Most models install with either mounting hardware or double sided sticky tape, so they are very easy to add to your smart home.

How Do You Use Z-Wave Entry Sensors?

When it comes to automated home security, it’s easy to think of solutions like Z-Wave locks, cameras, and sirens. And while those are great, you can only be completely secure in your home if you have the little things covered like the doors and windows.

You need Z-Wave door and window sensors to monitor all the entrances to your home. Even though they’re essentially just an open/closed sensor, you can use them to trigger an alarm, a notification on your smartphone or device, or even to turn on cameras when the window or door is opened.

While security is vital for a true smart home, there are other uses for Z-Wave door and window sensors. Door sensors can be used to trigger HVAC and lighting scenes because they signal that someone has come into or left a room.

You could also install them on the front and back doors of your house to know when someone has arrived home. In addition to that, you could even set scenes to trigger in various rooms of your house when an interior door is opened or closed.

With window sensors, which work exactly the same as door sensors, you could set up a scene to turn your AC off should they open. You could also have an alarm trigger if they open during the night. The opportunities are endless!

Z-Wave Door and Window Sensors Comparison

Ecolink

Schlage

Everspring

Aeon Labs

Color

White or Brown

White or Brown

White

White

Battery

3V CR123A

3V CR123A

3V CR250

Rechargeable

Size

3.4" x 1" x 0.9"

3.5" x 1" x 1.8"

3.1" x 1.8" x 1.2"

4.7" x 3.5" x 0.6"

Opening Gap

Up to 5/8"

Up to 1"

Up to 1.18"

Up to 9/10"

The Best Z-Wave Door and Window Sensors

Ecolink DWZWAVE2-ECO Z-Wave Door/Window Sensor

Ecolink is a very well known company when it comes to Z-Wave smart home devices, so it should come as no surprise that their door/window sensor is a fantastic device!

The DWZWAVE2-ECO features two bars, as with most door sensors. The larger bar houses the Z-Wave sensor and battery, and the smaller one is a magnet.

With seamless hub integration and easy no-screw installation, this sensor is quick to add to your system. You can install it either by putting the larger bar (the sensor) on the moving part of the entry and the magnet on the frame, or if your frame is big enough, visa versa. It’s also light enough that the sticky tape installation works well, so you won't need to worry about it falling down.

Schlage Nexia RS100 Z-Wave Door and Window Sensor

It also comes with a white and brown plate to match the many different decors your home may have.

This Schlage sensor also pairs with any Z-Wave network (most hubs), regardless of the fact that it says "Only works with Nexia." That phrase is simply a marketing ploy to get you to buy a Nexia hub. The main problem with Schlage products, and this sensor specifically, is the price, which can be quite steep.

Everspring HSM02-0 Z-Wave Door / Window Sensor

This sensor has the same bar design as you find on most of these devices, but it’s relatively fat deisgn makes it difficult to switch around which part is on the frame and which is on the window/door.

That being said, the official product specs say it can tolerate a gap of "up to 30 mm," in actual operations, though, this isn’t a lot of room. It also has a relatively short range and can consume batteries fairly quickly, so I would only suggest this device if you're on a tight budget or the design works better with your decor.

Aeon Labs Z-wave Door / Window Sensor 6 ZW112-A

The aesthetics on this door and window sensor are absolutely stellar, as it’s slim, lightweight, and paintable, so it truly disappears behind your decor.

That being said, a tiny magnet may be great for aesthetic purposes, but it makes for a tiny gap tolerance. That can make it frustrating, and some users have also reported that the rechargeable battery life is pretty short, but on the plus side, you'll never need to replace the battery!

Our Favorite Door and Window Z-Wave Sensor

We recommend the Ecolink because it has all the functionality of other sensors, but at a much lower price. With the Ecolink, you also get easy installation both of the physical sensor and easy pairing to your hub.

This particular Z-Wave door and window sensor is also compatible with a host of different systems, including some of the most popular like Vera and SmartThings. Compared to other models, the Ecolink is more forgiving as far as the connection between the two parts goes, allowing up to an inch of gap before it registers as open.

For the price with all of these features, it simply cannot be beat.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for the finishing touch on your home automation system or you're just starting it, you need reliable Z-Wave door and window entry sensors.

With these devices, you can have true automation, as they give your home the ability to monitor both entry and exit. Z-Wave window and door sensors also provide you with peace of mind, as they can trigger your security if they’re opened without authorization, even if you’re far away from home.

Door and window sensors are a must in all smart homes!​

zwavezone.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking from “Z-Wave Zone” to Amazon (amazon.com, or endless.com, MYHABIT.com, SmallParts.com, or AmazonWireless.com).